New Zealand: Situation update H7N6 bird flu detection Otago – 9 December 2024

Continued testing and monitoring shows no signs of high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outside of Mainland Poultry’s farm at Hillgrove, Otago, where depopulation of layer sheds is expected to be completed today, says Biosecurity New Zealand deputy director-general Stuart Anderson. The farm remains under strict biosecurity lockdown. "The depopulation to date covers all 4 layer sheds, which held a capacity of 160,000 chickens in total. We’ve had an animal welfare specialist on site to observe depopulation operations. "Test results at the weekend confirmed the HPAI H7N6 virus had spread to the final layer shed, which was not unexpected for this virus. We had already planned to depopulate this shed before those results came in as we knew that spread was almost certain," says Mr Anderson. A separate facility on the farm that is away from the layer sheds, and houses 40,000 rearing chickens, will also be cleared. That depopulation will begin today. "International experience tells us ...